The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. waves to the assembled crowd during the march on Washington August 28, 1963. Speaking from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, King rallied the nation's civil rights movements with his impassioned "I have a Dream" speech. cc/sp/files UPI

The Last Speech

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The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his famed "I
Have Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, August 28, 1963.
The speech galvanized the nation's civil rights movements and led to the passage
of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 1968 Fair Housing
Act. cc/sp/files UPI

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. president of the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference, gestures during his new conference here March 24, 1967. At
left is his aide, Reverend Andrew Young, Dr. King announced the resumption of regular
activities is Chicago on a schedule similar to the one he maintained from January
through November of the last year (1966). He said, "It is not too late, even
with the failures of yesterday, to renew the effort and take some first steps toward
the goals pledged last August. (1966)" cc/sp/files UPI

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (R) confers with Albert Raby, Chicago
civil rights leader and head of the Coordinating Council of Community Organizations,
at the National Council of Churches resort camp here late October 8, 1965. Dr. King
had been meeting with Chicago civil rights leaders and later outlined his assault
on segregation problems in Chicago. cc/sp/files UPI

The leaders of the March on Washington lock arms as they lead
the way along Constitution Avenue in this August 28,1963 photo. The march gave immense
impetus to the nation's civil rights movement and led to the passage of improtant
new laws aimed at aiding black Americans. The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. is at
center, seventh from right. At extreme right is A. Philip Randolph, the march director.
Alongside Randolph is Roy Wilkins, executive secretary of the NAACP. cc/sp/files
UPI